timmmay: Good tradesmen do charge a lot. Wait until you get a bad one, then you'll see good ones are worth what they cost. The painter I use paints three times faster than me, and does a better job, plus then I'm not painting all night and weekend. You can get painters for $25/hr, but they're often cowboys.

+1

I had a whole lot of work done in November built 3 new rooms, new ceiling, carpet, stopping, painting, electrics - the works. I chose to spend more money to pay for the professionals a) to get it done within a 4 weeks period and move in and b) get a top quality finish which I could never match by doing it on my own. The extra money spent was well worth it so I could continue to enjoy what little free time I already have!

NonprayingMantis: those rates won't be what the person actually gets paid, they are the rates the custmer pays. If somebody is quoting for a job they need to take into acount, amongst other things, what they pay their subcontracter (maybe $20 per hour?), their own margin, their own overheads etc. Its the same reaosn why a law firm might charge a lawyers time at $250 per hour but the lawyer won't get paid that much.

ETA: yes, $75 prob is a bit high, but not much.

Yes but all professions have overheads. The problem you do highlight though is that often contractors will then subcontract out the work to third parties, and take their cut off the top. It is important to make sure that anyone you hire doesn't subcontract the work out to third parties, otherwise you will often end up paying more just for a middleman. Make sure the person you are employing is actually doing the work. Some may have apprentices which they pay a low rate too, but they will take longer and require overseeing by the subbie. Had massive problems before with subcontractors suncontracting out to cowboys, and ending up with a very poor job. They had to put it right though, but it was a major hassle that ended up in the disputes tribunal and had to get a professional report done of the work, before they would fix up the substandard work.

This kind of work is my bread and butter. I am a licensed Carpenter by trade and also do all my own plastering to a level 5 finish including fibrous (fancy decorative cornice and the like). Although i am currently in the middle of a new build in Aotea at the moment, i would be happy to have a look at it for a fellow Geekzoner. I am also on Builderscrack which isn't a bad way to find a tradesmen. Stripping out the rooms will definitely save you a lot of cash and also has the bonus of making visible any unexpected behind the wall nightmares which will put you at the mercy of the dreaded extras. PM me if you're keen.

I'm in a hurry and did not read the other posts, but can say we have built a new home and sound treated the kid's rumpus room and our daughter's room (because it is adjacent the living space). Huge difference, you can watch movies at decent volume in both rooms and not disturb the other. If I knew it was this good I would have done all the internal walls. Especially the toilet! It is also worth (thermal) insulating the garage, and cost little extra as people are already on site.

For three rooms get the biggest skip on offer, if you demolish it yourself, and you may need another. I got the medium skip and filled it from one room, though that included getting rid of old wardrobes.

The new room's great - always a nice temperature and very quiet. New carpets also does wonders for a house, and isn't really too expensive - $6-10K for a decent sized house. Go for the thicker carpets, and best underlays, they're fantastic underfoot :)

wellygary: Also check with your local council if they need you to have a building permit, ( for retrofitting insulation some do, while others will exempt it)- but you need either an exemption or a permit.

That doesn't make any sense to me. NZ has problems with cold damp houses and yet they add a level of difficulty to improving the situation. Seems silly that you don't need any form of permission to re-line your walls but you do to add insulation.

wellygary: Also check with your local council if they need you to have a building permit, ( for retrofitting insulation some do, while others will exempt it)- but you need either an exemption or a permit.

That doesn't make any sense to me. NZ has problems with cold damp houses and yet they add a level of difficulty to improving the situation. Seems silly that you don't need any form of permission to re-line your walls but you do to add insulation.

A lot of older houses have occasional leaks that dry out because the wall cavity has some air flow. Fill the wall with Batts without sorting out a vapour barrier and the water becomes a problem. The permit is to make sure the job is done properly.

If your house is relatively new (araound post early 1990's), there is a good chance that the existing gib board is also bracing your house. You can check with your local Council who should have available the original plans of you house, which will show any structural bracing panels. It is important that any replacement gib also acts as bracing in the same way. Google "Gib bd" to find out about bracing - there are several systems and you must match what is there.

The Council will also advise whether a Consent is required - if you carry out any consentable work without one, you are putting your house insurance in jeapardy, as well as the future sale of the house if a buyer asks for a Land Information Memorandum (LIM). http://www.dbh.govt.nz/bc-no-consent-schedule-1 gives some examples of work not requiring a Consent, but is not particularly clear. I think that, as any bracing is part of the structural integrity of a house, one would be required.

Any work that has a building consent, must be carried out (or at least signed off) by a Licenced Building Practitioner.

Any insulation in the walls should be no thicker than the wall thickness. If it is squashed indo the cavity, the insulation value is reduced. For a 100mm stud wall, the thickest fibreglass batts that should be used are R2,8 wall batts.

The Council will also advise whether a Consent is required - if you carry out any consentable work without one, you are putting your house insurance in jeapardy, as well as the future sale of the house if a buyer asks for a Land Information Memorandum (LIM). http://www.dbh.govt.nz/bc-no-consent-schedule-1 gives some examples of work not requiring a Consent, but is not particularly clear. I think that, as any bracing is part of the structural integrity of a house, one would be required..

+1

A very good point, and remember that insurance companies will try to get out of paying if they can. I have tried to purchase several houses that have had unconsented works to them, and didn't go ahead as a result. For any building work you carry out, no matter how minor you think it is like relining surfaces, you should check with the council first, preferably in writing. To be honest though, many people wouldn't know what is in their internal walls, unless they were opened up.

Another possible reason for building consent is that some exterior claddings such as brick or block that can absorb a lot of moisture and dry slowly need an air cavity so the concern might be that the cavity gets filled. Normally, when making alterations you are required to make the changes comply with the current building code or an acceptable compromise when that is not possible eg addition of moisture barrier to a weatherboard house that was built without it.

I believe you can do the work on a job that requires building consent. It's a self-builder exemption and requires a statutory declaration to be made.

FWIW, it's a myth that compressing insulation decreases its per unit depth R-value. It would do so if, in the act of compression, a gap or air gap is created. Standard insulation will gain (per unit depth) R value up to almost 50% compression. Cornings have a chart of compression values for their products.